The Invisible Frontline: How 2023 Became a Record-Breaking Year of Violence and Exclusion for Women in Global Conflicts
In the corridors of power in New York this week, a somber reality was laid bare: the global landscape of warfare is shifting, and it is women who are increasingly caught in the crosshairs. According to the latest annual report from United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, the year 2023 marked a devastating regression in the protection of women and girls. The data reveals a chilling trend where the proportion of women killed in armed conflicts doubled compared to the previous year. Today, four out of every ten casualties in conflict zones are women, a statistic that signals not just a failure of diplomacy, but a systematic collapse of the international legal frameworks intended to protect the most vulnerable during times of war.
This surge in mortality is accompanied by a horrifying rise in conflict-related sexual violence. UN-verified cases increased by 50 percent in 2023, reflecting a reality where the female body has become a literal battlefield. These figures are not merely numbers on a page; they represent a “war on women” that is being waged with increasing impunity. As global tensions rise and traditional warfare evolves into protracted, fragmented struggles, the safeguards established by international law are being treated as optional rather than obligatory.
The report, spearheaded by UN Women, arrives at a pivotal moment—24 years after the landmark adoption of Security Council Resolution 1325. This resolution was intended to be a turning point, a global mandate requiring all parties in conflict to ensure the safety of women and girls and to facilitate their full, meaningful participation in peace processes. Yet, nearly a quarter-century later, the gap between the promise of that resolution and the lived experience of women in war zones has never been wider.
UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous has been vocal about this regression, noting that women are continuing to pay the ultimate price for “the wars of men.” She characterizes the current climate as a broader, more deliberate offensive against gender equality. This is not a phenomenon confined to active combat zones; rather, the weaponization of gender equality is occurring on multiple fronts. In conflict-affected settings, however, this hostility becomes lethal. Bahous warns that if the international community does not demand an immediate and radical shift in how conflicts are managed and resolved, the consequences of this “war on women” will resonate for generations, making lasting peace an impossibility.
The crisis extends far beyond the direct impact of explosives and gunfire. The collapse of infrastructure in war-torn regions has created a secondary, silent killer: the lack of access to essential healthcare. In modern conflict zones, the simple act of bringing life into the world has become a death sentence for many. Every single day, approximately 500 women and girls die from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth in countries ravaged by war. These deaths are largely preventable, caused by a lack of clean water, medical supplies, and trained healthcare professionals.
Consider the situation in Gaza. By the end of 2023, an estimated 180 women were giving birth every day amidst the ruins. Most of these women were forced to deliver without the most basic necessities—no anesthesia, no sterile environments, and no postnatal care. This lack of medical dignity is a direct result of the blatant disregard for the international laws that are supposed to shield hospitals and civilian infrastructure from the ravages of war. When healthcare is restricted or destroyed, the burden falls disproportionately on women, who must navigate the impossible task of maintaining life in environments designed for destruction.
Perhaps most frustrating for advocates of the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda is the persistent exclusion of women from the very tables where their futures are decided. Despite decades of evidence showing that peace agreements are more durable and better implemented when women are involved, political and military decision-making remains an overwhelmingly male domain. In 2023, women accounted for only 9.6 per cent of negotiators in peace processes globally. This exclusion is not a matter of a lack of qualified women; it is a matter of a lack of political will.
History and contemporary studies consistently prove that women bring a different lens to the negotiating table—one that often prioritizes social cohesion, resource management, and long-term stability over the mere cessation of hostilities. In Yemen, for instance, it was women-led negotiations that successfully secured safe access to vital water sources for civilians, addressing a basic human need that had been overlooked by formal military delegations. In Sudan, even as the country is gripped by brutal violence, 49 women-led organizations are actively mobilizing to demand a peace process that is inclusive and representative of the people’s needs.
These grassroots efforts, however, are frequently ignored or sidelined by formal international mediation efforts. The women of Sudan and Yemen are not just victims; they are active peacebuilders working in the most dangerous conditions imaginable. Yet, their work remains largely unsupported and unrecognized by the formal structures of global diplomacy.
The disparity in global priorities is perhaps most evident in the realm of finance. In 2023, global military expenditures surged to a record-breaking $2.44 trillion. This staggering investment in the tools of war stands in sharp contrast to the meager resources allocated to the protection of women’s rights. Funding for organizations and movements that support women—especially those operating in conflict zones—continues to languish at just 0.3 per cent of total annual aid. Furthermore, investments specifically targeted at the prevention and response to gender-based violence make up less than one per cent of all humanitarian spending.
This financial imbalance is a clear indicator of where the world’s priorities lie. We are spending trillions on the hardware of destruction while pennies are set aside for the human infrastructure of peace and protection. Without a significant reallocation of resources, the cycle of violence will continue to expand, and the specific needs of women and girls will continue to be treated as an afterthought in humanitarian responses.
Looking toward the future, the year 2025 stands as a significant milestone. It will mark the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, which remains the most visionary and comprehensive blueprint for women’s rights ever adopted. In 1995, 189 countries committed to a world where every woman and girl could exercise her freedoms and realize her rights. As we approach this anniversary, the report by the Secretary-General serves as a stark reminder of how far we have strayed from those commitments.
The path forward requires more than just rhetoric or commemorative events. It demands bold, uncomfortable political action. It requires a fundamental restructuring of how the international community approaches peace and security. This means not only inviting women to the negotiating table but ensuring they have the power to influence the outcome. It means holding perpetrators of conflict-related sexual violence accountable in international courts. It means treating the destruction of maternal healthcare as the war crime that it is.
The report concludes with a clear ultimatum: the vision of lasting peace for all is a fantasy unless women’s equal and meaningful participation becomes a reality. The “war on women” is not an isolated trend; it is a symptom of a world that has lost its moral compass in the pursuit of military dominance. To reverse this tide, the international community must move beyond the 1325 resolution’s words and begin the hard work of implementing its spirit. Only through increased funding, political courage, and a genuine commitment to gender equality can we hope to end the bloodshed and build a world where “peace and security” applies to everyone, regardless of gender.
